


Sacrifice

by pterawaters



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Blood, Character Death Fix, Gen, Human Sacrifice, Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-21
Updated: 2014-03-21
Packaged: 2018-01-16 13:00:55
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,669
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1348360
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pterawaters/pseuds/pterawaters
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Chris Argent knows that if something is going to be done, it needs to happen right away, and he needs Isaac's help getting it done.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sacrifice

"Scott," Chris says as he approaches them, taking Allison's limp hand into his own. She still feels so warm. It hurts to breathe. "Scott, let me take her."

Scott looks up at Chris, meeting Chris' eyes with a wet, red-rimmed stare. "Mr. Argent, I– I couldn't–" The poor kid looks about as bad off as Chris feels, maybe even worse. This is probably the first time he's ever lost someone he was close to. It sure as hell won't be the last. 

"I know, son." Chris moves slowly, watching Scott's face, as he reaches first under Allison's legs, then as he slides Allison's arm over his shoulder so he can better pick her up. "I'll take care of her, now. You go find Lydia."

Scott's eyes widen and he nods, helping Chris get a better hold on Allison as they all stand up. "Lydia and Stiles are–" Scott points back over his shoulder.

"Go to them," Chris insists. "Make sure they're safe." Chris tries not to notice how black Scott's lap is with blood. It's not important now. He turns with Allison in his arms, and notices Isaac watching, looking like he needs to touch her, like he needs to help. Chris tells Isaac, "You're with me."

The kitsune – Kira – starts to ask, "What should–" Scott grasps her shoulder and draws her back. Good. Chris doesn't need her. Isaac's help should be enough.

When they get to Chris' car, Chris orders Isaac, "Open the door and get in. You're holding her."

Isaac asks, "What's the point." Heavy anger drips from his voice. "Argent, there's no–"

Chris presses Allison into Isaac's arms. "Listen to me," he says, his voice as low and dangerous as he can make it. "We don't have much time. I need you to do what I say when I say it. Can you do that for me? For _her_?"

Isaac nods, his eyes wide. "Y–yeah."

"Get in."

Isaac gets in the car and Chris helps him arrange Allison before shutting the door on both of them. He goes around to the front and gets in the driver's seat.

It's a short drive to the nursing home, but it's much further than Chris would like in the opposite direction they need to go. No matter. There's something here that Chris needs.

~*~

Isaac stays in the car with Allison's body as Argent orders him to before the guy stalks into the nursing home like a man on a mission. Is this some sort of Argent family ritual? And why does Isaac get the feeling this isn't about mourning, but about something bigger?

He looks down at Allison's body, limp and lifeless, her head resting against Isaac's shoulder. She feels wrong. She _sounds_ wrong. The only heartbeat Isaac can hear is his own, and it sounds _wrong_. Isaac thinks about letting himself break down, letting himself cry and sob over Allison's body like Scott did, but he sort of feels like he doesn't deserve to. Allison loved Scott. Sure, maybe she cared for Isaac like she said she did, but she loved _Scott_. 

Isaac will save his grieving for later, for when it feels more appropriate, for when he's alone. _No one should see a man cry_ , after all.

Chris comes back to the car running, a hooded and white-wrapped figure over his shoulder. Before Isaac can move Allison off of him to go help, Chris has the trunk open and is shoving the figure inside. When he closes the trunk, Isaac hears muffled grunts and banging. Chris gets back into the car and starts it, pulling out of the parking lot like there's no time to spare.

"What's going on?" Isaac asks. "Who was that?"

"I'll worry about him. You worry about Allison." Chris meets Isaac's eyes in the rearview mirror for half a second before his eyes go back to the road.

"Chris–"

"Just bear with me, alright?" Chris says. "There's only so much time."

"Before what?" Isaac leans forward, putting his hand on Argent's shoulder. "Before _what_?"

Chris doesn't answer, but keeps driving through town, back the way they came and into the preserve. The banging from the trunk slows down eventually, like the person back there got tired, or gave up hope.

Chris pulls the car up to a line of trees and gets out, coming around and opening the door for Isaac. "I'll take Allison, you get _him_. We'll be able to move faster that way."

Chris takes Allison and throws her over his shoulders in a fireman's carry. He hits a button on his keys and the trunk pops open.

When Isaac doesn't move right away, Chris steps closer and says, "We're almost out of time. I need you to help me, and do everything I ask, Isaac!"

"Right." Isaac hurries to collect the figure from the back, who groans when Isaac lifts him over his shoulder, but otherwise doesn't put up a fight. He follows Chris into the woods. As they run, Allison's hair rustles against Chris' arm and Isaac finds himself fixating on the noise and the sight. It's better than fixating on how he can only hear three heartbeats instead of four. 

A few minutes later, Chris leads them into a clearing that has a huge tree stump in the center.

"Watch your step," Chris says. "There's sinkholes all over. Follow my path."

Isaac does as he's asked, because he promised. He follows Chris' footsteps all the way to the tree stump. "Is this it?"

"The nematon," Chris says as he lays Allison down across it, his hand gently cradling her head. "Put him next to her."

Isaac makes sure he's on solid ground before he shifts his bundle forward. A black stain marrs the pristine white of what looks like a hospital sheet now that Isaac's paying attention.

Chris pulls the sheets away from the figure's head, revealing Gerard Argent. Eyes squinting and unfocused, Gerard glares up at Chris and growls around the gag in his mouth. Isaac watches as Chris' eyes cut over to Allison's body. Gerard's eyes go wide and he shakes his head viciously, his legs scrabbling weakly against the wood of the nematon. He looks like he's trying to get away.

Chris then takes a knife from the holster under his pant leg, which makes Gerard struggle more. "Hold him," Chris orders.

Isaac does it. He doesn't know what Chris is up to, but he knows that whatever it is, Gerard deserves it. 

Chris says something in French and then stabs the knife into Gerard's chest, angling the knife upward, toward his heart. As he pulls the knife out, blood sprays everywhere. Isaac's too shocked to move, and he watches in horror as the nematon starts to glow. 

He hears the moment when Gerard's heart stops beating.

"Sacrifice," Chris says, taking a silver-looking coin out of his pocket and dipping it into Gerard's blood. He sets the coin into Allison's hand, wrapping her fingers around it. The nematon's glow flashes brighter for a few seconds, and then dulls again.

Nothing else happens, which makes Chris' eyes go wide. He meets Isaac's gaze and says, "It's not enough."

"Not enough?" Isaac asks, watching as Chris strips off his leather jacket and throws it aside before pushing the knife into Isaac's hand. "What's this for?"

"Gerard was too weak." Chris gets up onto the nematon between his father and his daughter. "We need a better sacrifice."

Isaac gets it. He understands why he's holding the knife. "No," he says, shaking his head. "No, no. I _can't_."

Chris sits up and pulls Isaac closer by the lapel of his shirt. "You _can_. You promised me, Isaac. You _promised_." He takes Isaac's hand, the one holding the knife, and presses it to his own chest. "Dip the coin in my blood and put it back. And–" Chris pauses and looks away, toward Allison. "Tell her I love her. Tell her–" Chris looks back at Isaac, his eyes brimming with tears. "Tell her to make her life worth it, worth _this_."

Isaac realizes he's crying as he nods and tears drop down his face, rolling into his mouth and down his chin. "I'll tell her. I'll tell her."

"Good boy," Chris says, and he looks almost _proud_. No one looks at Isaac like they're _proud_. That's when Chris pulls Isaac's hand so suddenly and so sharply that there's nothing Isaac can do to stop it.

Chris groans, the air leaving his lungs in a great whoosh, and he falls back onto the nematon. Isaac can tell something's not quite right. Instead of struggling, Chris' heart is beating faster. The knife didn't hit his heart. He's dying, but so slowly. Isaac touches him and there's so much _pain_. 

Isaac knows he can't take all of Chris' pain, so instead he grips the knife again and pushes it up and more toward Chris' sternum, so it slices his heart. Chris gurgles, his arm shifting closer to Allison before he loses consciousness, his head rolling to the side.

There's so much blood.

The nematon flares to life again, and the earth below Isaac's feet shakes.

Hands shaking, Isaac takes the coin and covers it in Chris' blood and presses it into Allison's hand. The wind whips at Isaac's hair and clothes and he covers Allison's hands with his own, covers her body with his.

Isaac prays to every deity he's ever heard of.

Suddenly the wind calms and Allison stirs underneath Isaac. At first Isaac thinks someone is trying to take her away from him, but she whimpers and Isaac can hear it through her bones and her skin. It's her. She's alive!

"Allison!" he cries, sitting back so he can look at her. 

Allison's eyes flutter open and meet his. "Isaac?"

Isaac pulls her up and against him, wrapping his arms around him. He turns a little and sees Chris' lifeless eyes staring at them. His voice shaking, Isaac tells Allison, "So, I have some good news and some bad news."


End file.
